This lovely lagoon beach is on the west side of Home Island, Co…
H.M. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip arrive at the Cocos Isla…
Prince Philip waves goodbye as he and Queen Elizabeth, accompan…
Map of Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean
"A Chart of the Cocoas or Keeling's Islands, in the Southern In…
Cocos (Keeling) Islands view 6

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

N/A
Climate
USD
Currency
N/A
Safety
N/A
Cost of Living
English
Language
Country Information Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Cocos (Keeling) Islands: An Expat's Reality Check

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are a remote Australian territory consisting of two small atolls in the Indian Ocean, roughly 2,700 kilometers northwest of Perth. With just 544 residents, this is one o...

Your Cocos (Keeling) Islands Roadmap

40+ page relocation analysis tailored to your profile.

  • Custom Tax & Cost Projection
  • District Matching for your Lifestyle
  • Vetted Local Partner Directory
Entry Requirements & Visa Options

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands, an external territory of Australia, follow standard Australian visa policies for all international arrivals from outside Australia. Most foreign nationals, including citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, require an advance visa obtained through the Australian Department of Home Affairs before departure. Travelers arriving directly from the Australian mainland (e.g., Perth flights) do not need a passport or visa but must present photographic identification such as a driver's license or proof-of-age card for...

Tourist visa: up to 12 months
Work permits available
Read full guide
Location Intelligence for Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Index data is currently unavailable for Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Capital

West Island

Timezone

UTC+06:30

Area

14 km²

Population

544

Economic Overview in Cocos (Keeling) Islands

GDP

N/A

HDI

N/A

Quality of Life

N/A

NYC baseline: 43

Purchasing Power

N/A

NYC baseline: 42

Understanding the economic landscape is essential for evaluating living costs and opportunities in Cocos (Keeling) Islands. This comprehensive overview covers key financial indicators including cost of living, housing markets, income levels, and fiscal policies that shape daily life and long-term financial planning.

Comparison data legendCompare:
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Continent Avg
Work & Business in Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Business ClimateSee full guide for details
Work PermitsRequirements vary by nationality
Key IndustriesExplore opportunities
Read full guide
Education SystemInternational schools, universities & curricula
Explore Guide
Climate

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands feature a tropical climate with consistently warm temperatures year-round, high humidity, and moderate rainfall influenced by monsoon patterns. As a small atoll territory of Australia spanning just 14 km², it exhibits uniform conditions ideal for beach living but challenging due to persistent heat and moisture.

Climate
Tropical monsoon
Summer
27–30°C
Winter
24–29°C
Sunshine
2800+ hrs/yr

2 distinct climate regions — see full guide for details

Read full guide
Demographics in Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Life Expectancy

N/A

Population

544

Religions

Islam
75%
Non-religious
12.9%
Christianity (Anglican)
3.5%
Christianity (Catholic)
2.2%

Ethnic Composition

Currently under research

What Expats Say About Cocos (Keeling) IslandsBETA

Research in Progress

We're currently analyzing expat perspectives for Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Check back soon for insights from real experiences!

We're gradually rolling out this feature and continuously improving the insights. The data is based on real expat discussions and will become more comprehensive over time.

Transportation & Infrastructure in Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Public TransitAvailable in major cities
AirportsInternational connectivity
InfrastructureRoad & rail networks
Read full guide
Social Integration in Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Expat CommunityActive communities available
Cultural IntegrationTips & resources
Language BarrierSee guide for details
Read full guide
Retirement & Benefits in Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Retirement VisaCheck eligibility
Healthcare AccessPublic & private options
Pension RecognitionSee guide for details
Read full guide
Political Landscape & Stability
System
Non-self-governing overseas territory of Australia[1][2]
Legal System
Common law based on the Australian model[1]
Read full guide
Environment & Sustainability in Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Air QualitySee detailed assessment
Green SpacesParks & nature areas
SustainabilityEnvironmental policies
Read full guide
Cocos (Keeling) Islands flag
Cocos (Keeling) Islands at a Glance

Languages

English

UN Member

No

Quick Facts for Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Population

544

Currency

USD

Timezone

UTC+06:30

Calling Code

N/A

Week starts on

N/A

Gini Coefficient

N/A

Traffic side

N/A

Location

Data Source: Safety, crime, and quality metrics are sourced from Numbeo, a crowd-sourced global database of reported data.

All scores are relative comparisons on a 0-100 scale, where 50 = global average. Higher scores mean better than average, lower scores mean worse than average.